Casino’s impact on traffic the top concern of North Bend leaders

Published 1:44 pm Thursday, October 2, 2008

NORTH BEND – As the Snoqualmie Tribe continues work to build a casino, North Bend officials are evaluating what its effects would be on the city, and their biggest concern is traffic.

Although the North Bend City Council members said little about the proposed casino after a presentation given by the Snoqualmie Tribe at the Jan. 22 council meeting, officials said later they are thinking about the pros and cons of the gaming facility, which would be located along Southeast North Bend Way in the city of Snoqualmie’s urban growth area.

“There will be job creation, which is a good thing,” Mayor Joan Simpson said. “But I certainly have concerns about potential traffic impacts.”

City Administrator Phil Messina echoed Simpson’s concerns about more traffic going through the already-clogged downtown area of North Bend.

“Obviously, we are concerned about the additional traffic,” he said. “The additional traffic will be great if they need to get gas, get something to eat and go shopping, but we will want to look at how it affects traffic overall.”

Messina and Simpson both said Exit 31 off Interstate 90 may be a problem area in the future. Since Exit 27, which is closest to the proposed site, has an eastbound off-ramp and a westbound on-ramp, it is only conducive to traffic traveling to and from Seattle. Any traffic coming from the east will use Exit 31 and come through North Bend.

City leaders have said they would like to sit down with Snoqualmie Tribe representatives and work out any problems that may arise from the casino. Should traffic mitigation be needed, Simpson said she would like to see the Snoqualmie Tribe pitch in to help pay for construction.

“I would like to see the Tribe help pay for that [potential Exit 31 construction],” she said.

As to the overall debate about whether the proposed casino would benefit the community, which has sometimes sparked heated words, discussions will probably continue to be temperate in North Bend.

“This is an issue that many people will discuss and have strong opinions about,” said Councilman Bill Wittress. “The council does not take a position on this, but having a discussion